Amarantine (CD - 2005)

Personnel: Enya (vocals, various instruments).

Audio Mixer: Nicky Ryan.

Recording information: Aigle Studio.

Photographer: Simon Fowler.

Arranger: Nicky Ryan.

After a five-year silence in the wake of her phenomenally successful release A DAY WITHOUT RAIN, Enya reemerged in 2005 with AMARANTINE. The singer knows better than to mess with a good thing, and all of the hallmarks of her sound are here: the evocative Celtic overtones, the symphonic arrangements and lush soundscapes, and the singer's pure, haunting vocals. Additionally, Enya's long-time creative sidekicks--producer arranger Nicky Ryan and lyricist Roma Ryan--are on board here too, and the time-tested results show.

AMARANTINE, a poetic name for a mythical, everlasting flower, is an appropriate metaphor for the music. Luxuriant, mysterious, and with a deep aesthetic sense, Enya's music seems to surge and unfurl like a blooming flower. Fans who feared Enya may have lost her touch since this album's multi-platinum predecessor can rest easy. Atmospheric, stirring, and masterfully executed, AMARANTINE is as fully realized and accomplished as anything the artist has released. minimize